Controlling mechanism for reversing-gears.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1908;

J. w. RAUB. CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR RBVERSING GEARS. APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 22,1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

n4: NORRIS PETERS 60-, WASHINGTON. n. c.

PATBNTED MAY 12, 1908. J. W. RAUB.

L CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR REVERSING GEARS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

J. w. RAUB. I CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR REVERSING GEARS.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 2 19m.

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Jase 07v WW6. Q1310 [Lil PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

J. W. RAUB. CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR REVERSING GEARS.

APPLICATION FILED mm; 22,1907.

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JOSEPH W. RAUB, 01* PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR REVERSING-GEARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed. June 22, 1907. Serial No. 380,247.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. RAUB, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Controlling Mechanism for Reversing-Gears, of which thefollowing is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a device for operating thereversing gear of a locomotive or other engine, which while beingrelatively simple and free from complication shall be certain inoperation and occupy but relatively little space.

It is further desired to provide a device of the character noted inwhich the various parts shall be so arranged and connected that thestrains occurring therein shall be in a large measure balanced; thedevice contemplating in addition, means whereby, when the controllinghandle is in its normal or mid position, the various parts arepositively and rigidly locked against movement.

I further desire to provide a device of the class described with a novelform of valve mechanism for controlling the passage of liquid from oneend of the liquid containing cylinder to the other, which cylinder isprovided with a reservoir for liquid so connected that said cylindershall be at all times necessarily filled with liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a controlling device inwhich the vol ume of the cylinder and its ports and passages shallremain constant irrespective of the position of the piston in saidcylinder. I also desire to provide valve mechanism for controlling theoperation of a device of the charactcrnoted, by Whichit shallbe possibleto accurately and conveniently govern the llow of liquid between theends of one of the cylinders and so govern the actuation of themechanism to be operated.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved reversing gear controllingmechanism; Fig. 2, is a vertical section; Fig. 3, is a plan of thedevice shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, is an end elevation of my device; Fig.5, is a perspective view, partly in section, illustrating theconstruction of the air valve; Fig. 6, is a perspective view showing invertical section, the detail construction of the structure containingthe liquid reservoir and the various passages; Fig. 7, is a horizontalsection ol the valve shown in Fig. 5 Fig. 8, is a detached perspectiveview of the valve stem, the liquid controlling valve and the seat or'lace upon which it works, and Figs. 9 and 10,

are perspective views illustrating the members of a special form olclutch which may be employed to lock certain parts of my device in anyadjusted position.

In the above drawings, A represents a casting in which are formed theair cylinder A and the oil cylinder A these extending substantiallyparallel to each other and respectively having pistons a and a. Thepiston a has fixed to it a rod a which extends through stulfing boxesrespectively placed in both ends of the cylinder A, while the piston asimilarly has a rod (15, which likewise extends through. stulling boxeson opposite ends of the cylinder A The adjacent ends of these rods arerespectively connected by cross heads a" and a and, as shown best inFig. 3, these cross heads are connected by a bar a having teeth forminga rack a cut or set in one of its edges. This rack bar extends outsideof the cylinders and through a casing B wherein are mounted twointermeshing gear wheels I) and 1), 01 which the first engages the teethof the rack and the latter is lixed to a shalt b mounted in a suitablehearing formed in the cylinder casting A. This shalt has a squared endI) which projects at one side of the casing B and there is fixed to saidshalt one member I) of a toothed clutch, the other member If of which isloosely mounted on the shalt so as to be longitudinally movable whilebeing held from rotating by means hereafter described. A spring I)constantly acts upon the member If so as to force its teeth intoengagement with the teeth of the member I)".

On the cylinder casting A is a vertically extending casting C having ahollow portion 0 which forms a reservoir for oil. This casting has abonnet or cover 0 in which is an air- On the upper end of the rod F ismounted a cam plate f, having a handle f 2 whereby said rod may beturned on its axis; there being in said plate a cam; groove f as shownin Fig. 3, for the reception of a pin 9 having an arm g. This arm ismounted upon a vertically extending spindle G having suitable supportingbearings and carrying 011 its lower end a second arm g forked, as shownin dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. The forks of this arm extend around aboss on the member 6 of the clutch carried by the shaft b and are pinnedto the same so as to prevent its revolution, while being capable ofcausing it to slide on said shaft. s'embled that when the cam plate f isin the position corresponding to a closed position of air and oil valveshereafter described, the pin 9 is in that portion of the cam groove ffarthest from the axial line of the valve rod F, and, as a consequence,the teeth of the two members If and b are in engagement with each other.The said cam groove is so designed that any movement of the plate f toeither side of its central position will immediately cause the member ifto be moved out of engagement with the member If and. the consequentunlocking of the shaft 5 whereby it is left free to turn. Three ports 0c and a open on the top face of the casting C and of these the two firstare connected through pipes c and 0 respectively with opposite ends ofthe cylinder A. The port 0 opens outside of the casting and serves asthe exhaust port of the valve.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the valve D has an opening d extendingthrough its flat portion and in addition has an interior recess d,which, in the present instance, extends for about 180 degrees around thevalve. It will be understood that the valve rod F is squared to fitWithin a similarly squared opening (1 in said valve D, which operateswithin a suitably formed chest or cavity within the bonnet 0, suppliedwith air from any suitable source through a pipe 0 The valve rod Fpasses loosely through the upper part of the casting C, so that airunder pressure from the valve chest 0 is free to pass along said valverod through the center of the valve D, down into the oil reservoirsurrounding the lower portion of said rod.

From opposite ends of the oil cylinder a extend ports a and a and theseopen in a suitable plane face formed in the top surface of the cylindercasting A as illustrated in Fig. 8. The valve E, as shown, consists of adisk-shaped plate which operates on this plane face within a chamber 0at the lower end of the casting C. This chamber communicates throughoppositely placed openings 0 with the interior of the oil reservoir 0and in order that at predetermined times the oil may be free to passfrom the said reservoir into this chamber, I notch or recess the lug 6These various parts are so ason one side as indicated at e. I also formthrough the valve E two openings or ports 6 and e of which the first isof relatively large area,for example, substantially equal to that ofeither of the openings a or a while the opening a is relatively smalland has two V-shaped or angular extensions 6 projecting from oppositesides. The reservoir 0 is provided with a gage glass h and a fillingpipe it normally closed by a plug k With the above described arrangementof parts, it will be understood that the cross head a is directlyconnected to the link or other structure through which the reversinggear or other device is to be operated ;the possible movement of thesaid cross head being determined by the design of the cylinders andtheir ports, as required to operate the re versing gear between its twoextreme positions. If, now, the cam plate f be moved from its normalposition to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the first actionresulting therefrom is a disengagement of the teeth of the clutch memberb from those of the member 19 so that thereafter the rack bar a with thereversing gear and piston rods are free to move. The continued movementof the cam plate, being transmitted through the valve rod F to the valveD, causes said valve to connect the port 0 with the exhaust port 0 andhence connect the left hand end of the cylinder A with said exhaust portthrough the pipe 0. On the other hand, the opening d in the valve Duncovers the port 0 so that this is supplied with air under pressurefrom the valve chest 0 and the air passes through the pipe 0 to theright hand end of the cylinder A in which it exerts pressure upon thepiston a. No movement, however, of said piston or of the other parts ofthe device can occur for the reason that said piston is rigidlyconnected to the rod a the two cross heads a and a and the rod a whichin turn is fixed to the piston a. This latter is immovably held byreason of the fact that both ends of its cylinder, as well as thepassages a and a are filled with oil; it being understood that the valveE is so set on the rod F that it does not open the ports a and a untilafter air has been admitted to one or the other ends of the cylinder A.The continued turning of the cam plate f, however, finally causes theopening 6 to uncover the port a but even then there can be no movementof the apparatus because the oil cannot escape from the passage or porta Finally, one of the narrow angular extensions 6 of the open' end ofthe cylinder A is permitted with the utmost freedom through the opening0%. As a consequence, the air pressure on the piston a moves this withits cross head and the rack rod, thereby operating the reversing gear inthe well known manner. In order to prevent the possibility of the pistonstriking and injuring the cylinder head, the ports are so arranged thatthey are wholly or partially cut off by the piston a, before thisreaches the end of its stroke in either direction, thereby inclosing abody of oil between said piston and the head, which serves as a cushionin preventing damage to said head.

The longitudinal n'iovement of the rack bar a turns the gears and f andwith them the shaft 5 and clutch member I)". As soon however, as thehandle f" with the cam plate f is returned to its normal position thecam groove forces inwardly the arm g and throws the teeth of the member5'' into engagement with those of the member I)", thus locking the rackbar and the mechanism attached thereto against possible movement fromany cause.

Should it so happen that the teeth of one of the members should, insteadof entering he recesses of the other member, engage the points of itsteeth, it will be seen that the spring I) will yield sutliciently topermit of the cam plate being moved to its normal position, whilethereafter a very slight movement of the member I) caused for example byleakage, etc., will suffice to permit its teeth being properly engagedby the teeth of the member 5' under the action of the spring I); therebeing suflicient lost motion between the various parts to permit ofthis.

It will be noted that the volume of the cylinder A" and its ports a anda always remains constant, by reason of the fact that the rod a extendsthrough both ends of the cylinder. Moreover, by reason of the [act thatthe rods a and a, with the rack bar a, are connected to the cross headsa and a as shown, the resulting structure is relatively strong and solidand has no tendency to give rise to undue strains in any ol the partsunder operating conditions.

WVhatever leakage might possibly occur from the stuffing boxes of theoil cylinder or otherwise is fully compensated for by the oil suppliedfrom the reservoir 0 through the openings 0 and it is to be noted thatat no time and under no circumstances can there be any air spaces in thecylinder A or its passages, since the air under pressure is at libertyto find. its way from the valve chamber or chest 0 down around the rodF, so as to force oil from the reservoir 0 into the cylinder A or itspassages whenever there is any vacancy therein. If, for any reason, theair pressure should fail, the device may be operated by hand by theapplication of a suitable crank handle to the squared. end. I) of theshaft b it being noted that under such conditions the cam plate wouldfirst be operated so as to disconnect the clutch members I) and If.

lVhile the above described mechanism is particularly designed to controlthe reversing gear of an engine, it is to be understood that it may beused to control the operation of other devices or machines withoutdeparting from my invention.

In Figs. E) and 10 I have illustrated one of the many Forms of clutchwhich may be substituted for that illustrated in the other figures ol"this case, and this preferably consists of two flat disks in one ofwhich is formed. a circular series of holes It. In the other clutchmember K are placed two spring actuated plungers A" and I7 projectingfrom the .lace of said member, which, under operating conditions, isadjacent to the face of the clutch member K. These two plungers are soplaced that when the clutch members are together one of the plungerswill be at liberty to enter one of the holes 7r, while the other plungerwill be forced into its containing recess in the clutch member K,inasmuch as .it will come opposite a part of the clutch member Kimmediately between two holes In other words, a revolution of one of theclutch members to the extent of one haltthe distance between a pair ofadjacent holes 7- is sutlicient to permit one of the plungers entering ahole so as to lock said two clutch members and their attached parts fromfurther movement in the manner already described in connection with thetwo clutch members I) and If. In case the two clutch members K and Kshould be employed, the spring 7) may be omitted, since, in the event oithe two clutch members being in such positions that the plungers ls andla could not enter any of the holes, said plungers would merely bedepressed or forced into their recesses until one of the said clutchmembers had moved sullieiently to permit one plunger entering a hole Ir.

While throughout the specification I have referred to oil and air as thetwo fluids employed in the cylinders A and A and their associatedstructures, it is to be understood that under operating conditions otherliquids may be substituted for oil, while similarly any suitable lluidunder pressure may be used in place oi" the compressed air.

I claim:

1. The combination in controlling mechanism l'or reversing gear, of twocylinders mounted side by side, each provided with a piston, a rod foreach piston extending through both ends of its cylinder, cross headsrespectively uniting the adjacent ends of said two rods, means forsupplying fluid under pressure to one of the cylinders, means forcontrolling the passage of liquid-from one end to the other of thesecond cylinder, with means for positively locking said piston rods inany adjusted position, substantially as described.

2. The combination of two cylinders, each having a piston and a rodconnected thereto, said rods being connected together, means forcontrolling the admission of fluid under pressure to one of thecylinders, means for controlling the flow of liquid between the ends ofthe other cylinder, and means for positively locking the piston rods inany adjusted position, said controlling and looking means having acommon operating member, substantially as described.

3. The combination of two cylinders, each having a piston and a pistonrod, means for connecting said rods to each other and to mechanism to beoperated, a valve for controlling the admission of fluid under pressureto either end of one of the cylinders, with a second valve forcontrolling the flow of liquid between the ends of the other cylinder,means for controlling said valves, and a looking device controlled bysaid valve controlling means for positively holding the piston rods inany adjusted position, substantially as described.

4. The combination of two cylinders, a

piston and a piston rod for each cylinder,

each rod extending through both ends of its cylinder, cross headsrespectively uniting the adjacent ends of the piston rods, a rack rodalso extending between the cross heads, a valve forcontrolling thesupply of fluid under pressure to one of the cylinders, means forcontrolling the flow of liquid between the ends of the other cylinder, acontrolling device for said valve, a locking device governed by saidcontrolling means, and gearing connecting said locking device with therack rod, substantially as described.

5. The combination of two cylinders each having a piston and a pistonrod, a rack rod, means for connecting said rack rod with said pistonrods, a clutch, means for connecting one of the clutch members With therack rod, valves for respectively governing the flow of liquid betweenthe ends of one of the cylinders and the flow of fluid under pressure tothe other cylinder, means for operating the said valves, and a deviceoperatively connecting the second member of the clutch with said valveoperating means, substantially as described.

6. The combination of two cylinders each having a piston and a pistonrod, a rack bar extending parallel to said piston rods, two cross headsrespectively connecting the adj acent ends of the rack rod and the twopiston rods, a gear wheel meshing with the teeth of the rack rod, aclutch having one member connected to said gear wheel, means for movingthe second member of the clutch into and out of engagement with saidfirst member, valves for controlling the movement of the pistons intheir cylinders, and a handle for operating the valves operativelyconnected to the movable member of the clutch, substantially asdescribed.

7. The combination of two cylinders each having a piston and a pistonrod, a rack bar extending parallel to said piston rods, two cross headsrespectively connecting the adjacent ends of the rack rod and the twopiston rods, a gear wheel meshing with the teeth of the rack rod, aclutch having one member connected to said gear wheel, means for movingthe second member of the clutch into and out of engagement with saidfirst member, valves for controlling the movement of the pistons intheir cylinders, a handle for operating said valves operativelyconnected to the movable member of the clutch, with a yieldable memberinterposed between said handle and the second member of the clutch,substantially as described.

8. The combination of two cylinders each having a piston and a pistonrod, means including a clutch for locking said piston rods in anyadjusted position, valves for controlling the movement of the pistons intheir cylinders, and a handle for operating said valves, said handleincluding a plate having a cam, with an arm actuated by said cam, andmeans for operatively connecting said arm to one of the members of theclutch, substantially as described.

9. The combination of two cylinders each having a piston and a pistonrod, means in cluding a clutch for locking said piston rods in anyadjusted position, valves for controlling the movement of the pistons intheir cylinders, a handle for operating said valves, said handleincluding a plate having a cam, an arm actuated by said cam, means foroperatively connecting said arm to one of the members of the clutch, anda spring interposed between said clutch member and the handle,substantially as described.

10. The combination of two cylinders, each having a piston, means forconnecting said pistons to each other and to a reversing gear to beoperated, avalve for controlling the admission of fluid under pressureto either end of one of the cylinders, a structure having a valvechamber into which 0 en passages from both ends of the second cy inder,and a valve in said chamber controlling the flow of li uid from one endto the other of the second cy inder, said valve having a large and asmall port, each capable of being brought into communication with eitherof the passages leading to the ends of the second cylinder,substantially as described.

11. The combination of two cylinders each having a piston, means forconnecting said pistons to each other and to a mechanism to be operated,means for governing the flow of fluid under pressure to one of thecylinders, a structure having a valve chamber, a valve in said chamber,means for operating said valve,

there being two passages opening into said chamber from opposite ends ofthe second cylinder, a valve in the chamber having a relatively largeopening and also a relatively small opening with restricted extensions,either of said openings being capable of being moved so as tocommunicate with the passages leading from the second cylinder,substantially as described.

12. The combination of two cylinders each having a piston, means forconnecting said pistons to each other and to mechanism to be operated, avalve for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure to one of thecylinders, a structure having a valve chamber and a reservoir, thesecond cylinder having passages opening from its ends into said valvechamber, and the said structure also having passages opening from itsreservoir into said chamber, with a valve in the chamber constructed togovern the flow of liquid between the ends of the second cylinder andfrom the reservoir into the cylinder, substantially as described.

13. The combination of two cylinders each having a piston, means forconnecting said two pistons to each other and to a device to beoperated, a structure having two valve chainbers and a reservoir forliquid placed to communicate with both of said chambers, means forconnecting one of the valve chambers with both ends of one of thecylinders, the second cylinder having passages opening into the othervalve chamber, two valves respectively mounted in said chambers, and avalve rod operatively connected to both of said valves, the second valvebeing constructed to throttle the liquid as it flows into the secondvalve chamber from one end of the second cylinder, substantially asdescribed. I

14. The combination 01' two cylinders each having a piston, means forconnecting said two pistons to each other and to a device to beoperated, a structure having two valve chambers and a reservoir forliquid in communication with each other, means for connecting one of thevalve chambers with both ends ol one of the cylinders, the secondcylinder having passages opening into the other valve chamber, twovalves respectively mounted in said chambers, and a valve rodoperatively connected to both of said valves, the second valve beingconstructed to throttle liquid as it flows into the second valve chamberfrom one end of the second cylinder and also to govern the passage ofliquid from the reservoir to said second cylinder, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence oi two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH WV. RAUB.

\Vitnesses:

WVM. E. SHUPE, Jos. H. KLEIN.

